Tuesday, March 30, 2010

NEW YORK, March 29, 2010 -Getty Images, Inc., the world’s leading creator and distributor of visual content and other digital media, today announced a multi-year extension agreement as the exclusive commercial photographic partner to Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States.

With more than 480 MLS events each year, Getty Images will provide editorial clients around the world with immediate access to complete photographic coverage of the world’s most popular sport, including all regular season and playoff matches, MLS SuperDraft, MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup, MLS’ championship game. Under the terms of the agreement, Getty Images will also continue to serve as the commercial photography partner to MLS and its 16 individual clubs.

“Among the five major professional sport leagues in the U.S., Major League Soccer has the most diverse roster of athletes, with more than 150 players born in 55 countries outside the United States,” said Stuart Crystal, vice president of consumer products, MLS. “Our partnership with Getty Images will help us continue to appeal to a much broader consumer audience, by highlighting our domestic and international talent both here in the U.S. and abroad.”

This continued partnership underscores Getty Images’ position as the leader in the sports photography business, offering a full suite of services from licensing and rights management, to hosting and managing the vast and expanding collection of MLS imagery. The strategic relationship with MLS was first formed in 2004 with renowned entertainment and event photo agency, WireImage, which Getty Images acquired in early 2007. Over the last three years, Getty Images has helped to significantly expand the distribution of MLS imagery to the world’s media to share with an ever-growing audience of the sport’s loyal enthusiasts.

“Getty Images is proud to once again partner with Major League Soccer,” said Adrian Murrell, senior vice president of editorial, Getty Images. “Given soccer’s growing popularity in the U.S. and massive international following, we’re excited to offer exceptional soccer imagery to both media and fans around the globe, particularly in a momentous World Cup year.”

Getty Images’ expertise in sports photography is widely recognized. In addition to being the accredited photography service provider to over 50 international sports’ governing bodies, Getty Images’ award-winning photographers capture events in 130 sports across the globe each year.

To view all imagery captured during the 2010 MLS Season and beyond, visit www.gettyimages.com and search using keywords, “Major League Soccer.”

About Getty Images
Getty Images is the world’s leading creator and distributor of still imagery, footage and multimedia products, as well as a recognized provider of other forms of premium digital content, including music. Getty Images serves business customers in more than 100 countries and is the first place creative and media professionals turn to discover, purchase and manage images and other digital content. Its award-winning photographers and imagery help customers produce inspiring work which appears every day in the world’s most influential newspapers, magazines, advertising campaigns, films, television programs, books and Web sites. Visit Getty Images at www.gettyimages.com to learn more about how the company is advancing the unique role of digital media in communications and business, and enabling creative ideas to come to life.

About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. MLS features many stars from the U.S., Canada, and around the world. MLS kicked off its 15th season on March 25, 2010. MLS features 16 clubs each playing 30 regular season matches in 2010. Those teams include Chicago Fire; Colorado Rapids; Chivas USA; Columbus Crew; D.C. United; FC Dallas; Houston Dynamo; Kansas City Wizards; Los Angeles Galaxy; New York Red Bulls; New England Revolution; 2009 MLS Cup Champion Real Salt Lake; San Jose Earthquakes; Seattle Sounders FC; Toronto FC; and, in their inaugural season, Philadelphia Union. Expansion teams in Vancouver and Portland will debut in 2011. For more information about MLS, log on to the League’s official Web site at www.MLSsoccer.com.